Cost-Effective Biometric Time & Attendance: Prices and Options Explored
Last Updated: May 09, 2023
Fact Checked By: Ashley Smith
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It used to be the substance of science fiction movies. Now, technology like fingerprint scanning and facial recognition is available to even the smallest companies as a way to track employee hours and attendance.
Biometric time and attendance systems allow your employees to clock in quickly and easily. They eliminate so-called "buddy punching" -- in other words, employees clocking in or out for one another. They useful for much more than keep track of employee hours! For instance, they can calculate wages, keep track of information like work schedules, time off requests, and accrued vacation time as well.
A complete biometric time and attendance system includes both hardware and software. The hardware is the electronic device that scans an employee's fingerprint or iris, while the software stores all of the data about employee arrival and departure times in your computer system. Hardware and software can be purchased separately, but it's best to find a vendor that sells them as a complete package.
Biometric Time and Attendance System Average Costs #
Despite the advanced technology, biometric time and attendance systems aren't as expensive as you might think. Small companies can purchase a basic system that includes hardware and software for about $600 to $1,500.
| Time Tracking Company | Features | Pricing |
|---|---|---|
| VeriClock | Biometric time clock, GPS tracking, mobile apps | $5 per user per month |
| TimeAttend by Replicon | Biometric time tracking, leave management, scheduling, project tracking | $18 per user per month |
| AcroTime by Acroprint | Biometric time tracking, scheduling, leave management | $2.50 per user per month |
| Tanda | Biometric time tracking, scheduling, leave management, HR features | $4 per user per month |
| FingerCheck | Biometric time tracking, scheduling, HR management | $8 per user per month |
Large corporations with many hundreds or thousands of employees should expect to spend at least $10,000 on a biometric time and attendance system. For a complex system serving thousands of employees and multiple locations, the cost could rise as high as $100,000.
In addition to a basic software and hardware package, you may need to purchase additional features, services or accessories.
- Additional biometric scanners begin at about $1,000 to $1,300 each.
- Training begins at about $300 to $500 for smaller businesses and can run thousands for larger companies.
- Accessories like scanner covers, which protect the equipment when it is not in use, begin at about $30 to $50 each.
Choosing a Biometric Time and Attendance System #
Because there are so many options, it helps to talk to a number of vendors about the products and services they provide. Some will charge an upfront fee for a set number of traditional software licenses; others will charge a monthly fee for web-hosted software.
Traditional software is probably the best option if you have a large IT staff that likes to have a lot of control over software and systems. Web-hosted is a great option for companies with minimal IT staffing that want to avoid a big upfront expense.
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